For people of a certain age – i.e., me – reality TV series Big Brother feels like it has been an ever present on our screens. The most recent series, of the celebrity variety, kicked off on 7th April and once again threw up contestants best described as eclectic. “The anticipation of who’s going in, then getting to know them in a way no other reality show can do,” Will Best, the show’s co-presenter, says on why he loves the celebrity version. “And there are always people who surprise you. I do also feel like, as a host, you can be a bit more tongue in cheek with the celebs – they know what they’re getting themselves into, and they’re being paid handsomely for the privilege!”
Big Brother’s Will Best Talks Celebrity Chaos, Yorkshire Roots & Bloody Mary Dreams
The celebrities return in 2025 – Inside This Year’s Celebrity Big Brother Lineup
This year’s roster featured the likes of eventual winner Jack P. Shepherd, Chesney Hawkes, Patsy Palmer and Daley Thompson alongside JoJo Siwa and Ella Rae Wise – and not forgetting Mickey Rourke, whose entrance caused a stir thanks to the attention he lavished on Will’s co-presenter AJ Odudu, which required a bit of shepherding away by our interviewee. “Me and AJ go way back,” Will says. “We first worked together back in 2014 and have stayed really close ever since. She’s a brilliant presenter, and an even better friend. Honestly, hosting the live evictions is like having a night out with one of my besties, it just happens to be being watched by a few million people.”
All this seemed a world away for a lad who grew up in Tadcaster, Yorkshire. “I used to work in advertising, which I was terrible at, so when I was about 23 I decided I wanted to try and work close to things I loved – music and comedy,” he explains his career journey to date. “But seeing as I am neither a musician or a comedian, I figured working on music shows with a comedy edge, like T4 back in the day, would be the next best thing. And through a series of very fortunate, ‘right place, right time’ incidents, that’s how it worked out.”
Big Brother memories – Will Best’s Favourite Reality TV Moments
I mentioned a certain age at the start of this feature, and Will himself recently celebrated his 40th birthday – “I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about. (Yes, I did, and I celebrated in a very undignified manner, by basically pretending it was my 21st and hosting a big club night).” – which means we are both well positioned to chat about when Big Brother first started way back in 2000. “I remember series 1, and being massively invested (like the rest of the country, and possibly the world?) in the Nasty Nick scandal,” Will recalls, “and I remember loving Brian and Bubble in series 2, but series 3 was the first one I became fully obsessed with. It’s still an absolute vintage, up there with 5 and 7 in my all-time list.”
What iconic BB moments will he always remember? “So many! Nadia winning series 5, Nikki Graham’s diary room rants, Alex Sibley with the smoothest moment in TV history in series 3, the emotional, beautiful moment Cameron Cole came out in series 19… I could go on forever! And of course there are loads of iconic Celeb BB memories, of which the Tiffany Pollard “David’s Dead” moment is clearly the all-time greatest [check it out on YouTube if you haven’t seen it – it’s a classic].”
It’s probably fair to say that as the years went on, interest in BB dwindled a little, but was pumped back up again when ITV revived the series last year, with Will and AJ fronting the new look show. “It was beyond a dream come true,” Will says about landing the presenting gig. “To be honest, I still can’t quite believe I’ve been lucky to work on the show. And I may be biased, but I really believe the series we’ve done so far stands up to any that have come before. The team putting it all together are some of the most talented people I’ve ever had the privilege of working with.
“Relaunching a show with so much history, and such a dedicated fanbase, was always going to bring some pressure,” he adds, “but it’s been amazing how much the fans have got on board with the reboot. The connection people feel with the show is unlike anything I’ve worked on before, and it’s a privilege to be involved in something people are so passionate about. Whenever I bump into a fan of the show on the street I could honestly stand and talk to them about it for hours – if I’m with my girlfriend she literally has to drag me away!”
It’s a high profile role that, surely, will lead to a whole host of opportunities going forward. “I’m still just so surprised that anyone wants to give me a job that I don’t want to jinx it by planning too far ahead,” he laughs about career aspirations. “The broad career bucket list is to host a quiz show (I bloody LOVE a quiz), get a couple of my own scripts away (just need to actually write them first), get more involved in radio, and start developing my own formats. And it would be nice to do some bits in America. Because that feels glamorous.”
Drink to success – How Will Best Launched Bloody Drinks
One thing he has gone on to do is launch Bloody Drinks alongside Harry Farnham. “I bloody love Bloody Mary’s,” he laughs when asked about what inspired this business foray. “And me and Harry were fed up of being served dodgy ones in pubs, so when we saw the rise of premium ready made cocktails we thought we’d have a stab at launching a Bloody Mary in a can. After all, how hard could it be? Really bloody hard, it turned out. We’re five years in now, and still very much in a startup mode, but we’ve got listings in Sainsbury’s, Waitrose, lots of premium delis and bottle shops, The Ivy Group, and a few other pub chains, so things are heading in the right direction.”
Not forgetting his Yorkshire roots
Work has taken Will to London these days, but despite his high profile, he will never forget his roots. “I go home as often as I can, and I’m a big Tadcaster Albion fan, although it’s hard to get to as many games as I’d like,” he says. Does he have plenty of favourite Yorkshire hotspots? “My all time favourite restaurant is an incredible neighbourhood bistro in Horsforth called Bavette, so I go there whenever I can.
If we’re feeling super posh my girlfriend and I might go to the spa at Rudding Park (it’s amazing). And of course I’ll try and make a trip to the home of the Brewers (Tadcaster Albion FC). I always used to go for a pint at The Angel & White Horse on Tadcaster high street, but it’s been closed for ages while they try and find a new landlord. Humphrey Smith, if you’re reading this, please get it reopened!” Or perhaps Will can be a little tongue in cheek with his new found celebrity pals and get them on board…
